National Rail says services across the Virgin Trains network are affected, and is advising people to postpone their journeys. Trains across the whole Virgin Trains network are expected to run a “very reduced service” for the rest of Thursday

A spokesman said: “Sadly, it quickly became apparent that there was nothing that could be done to save her and she was confirmed dead at the scene.”

A woman in her 60s has been left with a serious head injury after being hit by a carport roof in Stoke-on-Trent.

And a man is said to be in a “serious condition” in a central London hospital, after he was hit by debris falling from the roof of the new Underground entrance at Victoria station.

There are Met Office severe weather warnings of wind, snow and ice that combine to cover almost the entire UK.

Media captionBBC reporter Alison Freeman is caught in Storm Doris

Heathrow has advised passengers to check their flight status before travelling to the airport.

A spokeswoman said: “With Heathrow operating at more than 99% capacity, there are no gaps in the schedule that can be used for delayed flights and as a result some passengers travelling may experience disruption to their journeys.”

Media captionA passenger plane had to abandon its initial landing attempt at Manchester Airport due to high windsImage copyrightPAImage caption There were closures on the M80 in both directions

National Rail said fallen trees, objects caught in overhead wires, heavy rain, flooding and debris on tracks were causing delays to several services across the country.

Storm Doris also halted filming on the set of ITV soap Coronation Street, with a spokeswoman saying the weather had made outdoor filming “impossible” and it would have to be rescheduled.

And a tree-lined avenue in Northern Ireland which featured in Game Of Thrones has been damaged by the storm

One of the beech trees that make up the Dark Hedges in Co Antrim has fallen victim to high winds.

The severe gusts of winds are said to be caused by a “weather bomb” – a very intense area of low pressure which “explodes” when it travels underneath a powerful jet stream.

Media captionWhat is a weather bomb?

BBC forecaster Jacob Cope says the low pressure centre of the storm has now moved into the North Sea, dragging the strongest winds across eastern England, with gusts still reaching 70-80mph.

The main area at risk of strong winds over the next few hours is East Anglia, as winds turn northerly.

An area of rain and sleet is moving south through Northumberland and Cumbria, heading for the Midlands although this, along with the winds, will ease through the evening, leaving a cold and frosty night.

Forecasters say there is a risk of flooding in Northern Ireland, and possibly at lower levels in northern England and the south of Scotland.